Keywords

Abstract

Molothrognathuskurdistaniensis sp. nov. is described and illustrated based on females collected from soil under apple trees, Qorveh, Kurdistan province, Iran. A key to all known Iranian species of the genus Molothrognathus is provided.

Mites were collected from soil under apple trees, in Kurdistan province and mounted directly in Hoyer’s medium. The specimens were measured, identified and drawn by means of an Olympus BX51 differential interference contrast (DIC) microscope under 1000X magnification and equipped with a drawing tube. Body length measurements represent the distance between setae v1-h1; width was measured above coxae III. Setae were measured from their insertion to their tips; distance between setae was measured as the distance between their insertions. Legs were measured from the base of the trochanter to the pretarsus (base of claws).

The terminology and abbreviations used in the description of the new species follows that of Lindquist (1985). All measurements are given in micrometers and the measurements of the paratypes are given in parentheses.

Dorsal integument with coarse, dual, striae; all dorsal setae terminally blunt. Palp tarsus with one solenidion (ω) and three terminal eupathidia; palp tibia swollen, with a claw and two setae and three times as long as palp tarsus; trochanters I-IV and femur IV without setae, genua I-II with 4(+κ)–4, tibiae II-IV each with one blunt seta; tarsi I-IV with 11(+ω)–7(+ω)–7–6.

Gnathosoma (Figures 1D-E) — Subcapitulum with one pair of subcapitular setae, m 9(8–9), two pairs of adoral setae or1 4(5–6), or2 5(4–5) (Fig. 1D). Chelicerae 39(40–43) and movable digit 28(24-26) depicted in figure 1D. Palp five-segmented, palp tarsus with one solenidion (ω) and three terminal eupathidia; palp tibia swollen, with two setae and one well developed claw and three times as long as palp tarsus; palp genu and palp femur with one dorsal seta each (Fig. 1E).

Remarks — The new species Molothrognathus kurdistaniensis sp. nov. resembles M. tumipalpus Meyer and Ueckermann, 1989 in having: trochanters I-IV without seta, same dorsal integument and palp tibia swollen and three times as long as palp tarsus. However, it differs from the latter in: coxa II with one seta in the new species instead of without setae; femur IV without setae in the new species versus one seta and palp tarsus with three eupathidia in M. kurdistaniensis sp. nov. instead of with four eupathidia in M. tumipalpus. The new species is also similar to M. paratumipalpus Bagheri, Maleki and changizi, 2013, in that palp tibia is swollen and three times as long as palp tarsus and genua II-IV with 4-2-2 setae. However, M. kurdistaniensis differs from the latter in: trochanters I-IV without setae instead of one seta each in M. paratumipalpus, dorsal cupules absent versus with three pairs of cupules in M. paratumipalpus and tibiae I-IV 4 (+φ)–1–1–1 in the new species instead of 5(+φ)–4–4–4 in M. paratumipalpus.

Male and Immature Stages — Unknown.

Etymology — The new species is named after locality of Kurdistan province, where type specimens were collected.

Key to species of the genus Molothrognathus in Iran (females)

1. Palptarsus small, about one-third the length of tibial claw of the palpus...... 2

— Palptarsus as long as or longer than the length of tibial claw of the palpus...... 4

Liang L., Zhang ZQ. 1997. Key to species of the genus Molothrognathus (Prostigmata: Caligonellidae) with description of a new species from Iran. Systematic and Applied Acarology, 1 (Special Publication) 19–24. doi:10.11158/saasp.v0i1.20

Ueckermann EA, Khanjani M. 2003. Iranian Caligonellidae (Acari: Prostigmata), with description of two new species and re-description of Molothrognathus fulgidus Summers and Schlinger, with a key to genera and species. Acarologia 43, 291–298.

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